BEHAVIORAL ADAPTATIONS AND COGNITIVE FLEXIBILITY IN URBAN BIRDS: UNDERSTANDING SURVIVAL STRATEGIES IN HUMAN-DOMINATED LANDSCAPES

Quratulain Shaikh; Sadaf Shafique; Sajida Memon; Rehana Aslam

doi:10.71146/kjmr815

Authors

Quratulain Shaikh Assistant Professor Zoology, Government College for Women Khairpur, Sindh, Pakistan. Author
Sadaf Shafique Lecturer zoology, Government Girls Degree College (GGDC), Gambat, Sindh, Pakistan. Author
Sajida Memon Lecturer Zoology, Government College for Women Khairpur, Sindh, Pakistan. Author
Rehana Aslam Assistant Professor Zoology, Government College for Women Khairpur, Sindh, Pakistan. Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.71146/kjmr815

Keywords:

behavioral adaptation, cognitive flexibility, environmental stressors, urban birds, urban ecology, wildlife adaptation

Abstract

Urbanization transformed natural ecosystems into complex environments where wildlife survival depended on adaptive behavioral and cognitive mechanisms. This study examined behavioral adaptations and cognitive flexibility in urban birds using a quantitative observational design. A sample of 120 birds across multiple urban locations was analyzed to evaluate key behavioral variables, including foraging adaptability, nesting flexibility, flight initiation distance, and problem-solving ability. The results indicated high levels of adaptation, with mean values of 4.18 for problem-solving ability, 4.12 for foraging adaptability, and 4.05 for nesting flexibility. Correlation analysis revealed strong positive relationships between environmental stressors and behavioral adaptation, including habitat fragmentation (r = 0.73), noise pollution (r = 0.71), and artificial lighting (r = 0.68). Comparative analysis showed that crows (4.28) and mynas (4.13) demonstrated higher cognitive flexibility than pigeons (4.00) and sparrows (3.82). These findings indicated that behavioral plasticity and cognitive flexibility played a central role in enabling urban birds to adjust to human-dominated environments. The study contributed to urban ecology by providing empirical evidence on the interaction between environmental pressures and adaptive responses. The results also highlighted the importance of integrating ecological considerations into urban planning to support biodiversity conservation and sustainable ecosystems.

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